We finally pulled the plug!

[DawnM]

I do pay a little more than $40, but we needed the higher speed and TWC won't work with me anymore. They used to lower my bill when I called to cancel every 6 months or so. Now they want you to bundle and won't give deals on internet only plans.

Dawn

Comcast tried to give me the same line of BS that if I canceled cable TV my internet bill would actually be higher that the internet/cable TV bundle. I said fine cancel them both. I told the rep I refuse to pay Comcast more than $40 per month for internet. They found an internet only plan that worked for me.

 

[auger]

So now that we chucked the cable, I need recommendations for selecting a digital antenna to pull in the local stations.
Can you guys tell me what ones you use, and how well they work for you?

 

[Ranger111]

So now that we chucked the cable, I need recommendations for selecting a digital antenna to pull in the local stations.
Can you guys tell me what ones you use, and how well they work for you?

I would suggest you poke around and see if there is a pro antenna installer in your area.

It's not as easy as just planting a pole on your roof. You still have to site it properly based on station locations and nearby obstacles.

The pros have the equipment to do it right and -- hopefully -- will not put a bunch of holes in your roof that will later create a living room bathtub.

 

[ArmchairDetective]

So now that we chucked the cable, I need recommendations for selecting a digital antenna to pull in the local stations.
Can you guys tell me what ones you use, and how well they work for you?

The Mohu Leaf is what cordcutters will recommend 90% of the time. It picks up a ton of channels and does not require professional installation.

 

[Nayan]

So now that we chucked the cable, I need recommendations for selecting a digital antenna to pull in the local stations.
Can you guys tell me what ones you use, and how well they work for you?

I would suggest you head over to TVfool and plug in your address to see which channels you can get OTA. Not all antennas are the same just as not all stations are the same. While most stations broadcast UHF in my area one of them is in VHF so you might need an antenna that can do both.

 

[MEM]

Well, DH visited Verizon yesterday to inquire about internet only. It would be about $92 just for 15/5 internet. We now pay about $155 for 25/25 internet, HD cable and land line. I think for now we'll keep what we have. Comcast and RCN would be somewhat cheaper but their customer service reviews are abysmal. Plus, the "locked-in" rate, according to customers, is subject to change at the whim of Comcast or RCN.

 

[DawnM]

As for antennas, it will greatly vary by where you live and how close you are to the stations.

We can't do indoor antennas, we live too far and have too many trees and obstructions to get good signal.

AntennaWeb.org can tell you where your local channels are and what antenna they recommend.

For us, we got a rooftop antenna and an amplifier. We still sometimes have issues, but overall, it has been great. We just connected it to our existing cable lines, plugged the TVs into the previously existing cable cords, and voila.

We got something like this:


http://www.amazon.com/Channel-Maste...qid=1397823078&sr=8-6&keywords=channel+master

 

[JB2K]

With the merger of Time Warner and Comcast (why are they allowing that?? talk about a monopoly. Political connections is my guess.)
I detest allowing this beast into our home. I hate supporting channels that I wouldn't give a dime to. Al Jazeera for one.

Political connections??

Guessing it really doesn't matter, since any "traditional" CATV company (Comcast, TWC, Charter, Cox, etc.) is in your town as the arrangment of a "franchise agreement" with your city/town. If you'll notice, with this current arrangement, you will not have more than one CATV company.

Of course, this excludes telcos such as "AT&T U-verse" and "Verizon FiOS", since they are not considered to be true Cable TV companies. Same for Dish and DirecTV.

As for "Al-Jazeera", the channel that is currently available on some U.S. cable systems is not the well-known network from Dubai (and other parts of the middle east). This is a New York City-based channel, which was formerly known as "Current TV" (and famously-owned by former VP Al Gore).

Never seen it, myself, but would be willing to give it a look, since networks like CNN, Fox News, etc. seem to be more "personality-driven" than "reporting the facts"...

 

[JB2K]

As for antennas, it will greatly very by where you live and how close you are to the stations.

We can't do indoor antennas, we live too far and have too many trees and obstructions to get good signal.

AntennaWeb.org can tell you where your local channels are and what antenna they recommend.

For us, we got a rooftop antenna and an amplifier. We still sometimes have issues, but overall, it has been great. We just connected it to our existing cable lines, plugged the TVs into the previously existing cable cords, and voila.

We got something like this:


http://www.amazon.com/Channel-Maste...qid=1397823078&sr=8-6&keywords=channel+master

True - for those of you in newer homes with a built-in coaxial cable infrastructure, you can connect the cable to an antenna (and amplifier) and provide free over-the-air service to your connected TVs.

 

[JB2K]

We do have a Wii and I am an amazon prime member so surely I could access shows l like without cable.

As the Nintendo Wii (the one the Budget Board loves to use as their "Netflix-Watching Device") is already 8 years old, I would no longer recommend that device as a viable way to get internet TV (especially, since it will likely leave the market in a year or two).

A newer option may be the successor "Wii U" console, which is a full HD device and connects to your flatscreen/widescreen TV with the included HDMI cable.

 

[sunkissed4]

That's our problem too. Going to a restaurant every sat and sun in football season would cost more than the directv bill.

I can't believe I never thought of it this way before. DH and I have been racking our brains trying to decide how we can get rid of cable, but we're HUGE sports fans. Every sport, all year long. We'd pay more going out to watch our favorite games than keeping the cable. Phew I feel better now!

 

[auger]

Thanks for the recommendations!
We ordered the Mohu Leaf Ultimate today.
Hopefully it will do a good job pulling the channels in for us.
We tried an RCA from Wmart, but all it would grab was three PBS stations.

 

[lakelandgal70]

We canceled ours end of last year and haven't looked back. We noticed we weren't watching TV so why bother paying that money for something we aren't using lol. We do use hulu, amazon streaming and netflix.

 

[Epcotfan64]

I cut the cable cord back in 2008 when, one Sunday, I turned on the TV and 40 channels out of 160 were showing infomercials, aka "paid programming." I couldn't believe I was actually paying to watch a commercial on The Discovery Channel. So, I called Brighthouse and had them disconnect. I then went out and bought a digital converter box and simple "rabbit ears" antenna, and pulled in other-the-air digital channels.

I have saved thousands of dollars over the years, and haven't regretted my decision one bit.

Cable TV should be metered, like electricity, and when you turn on a channel showing an infomercial, the meter should run backwards.

 

[MillauFr]

Cable TV should be metered, like electricity, and when you turn on a channel showing an infomercial, the meter should run backwards.

Great idea. I don't think I could go back to watching TV shows with commercials. I get them on DVD now from the library for free. Those hour long shows are getting shorter and shorter. I think I've seen some of my TV shows are less than 40 minutes.

Don't get me started on sports. I remember reading an article in the Wall St. Journal that during the typical NFL game you watch over one hour of commercials. There is only about 10 to 15 minutes of real action in a three hour long game.

 

[DawnM]

I wish our library carried things like TV shows. I asked them once and they looked at me like I had 2 heads.

They have a couples shelves of old movies and a couple shelves of kid movies. That is it.

Dawn

Great idea. I don't think I could go back to watching TV shows with commercials. I get them on DVD now from the library for free. Those hour long shows are getting shorter and shorter. I think I've seen some of my TV shows are less than 40 minutes.

Don't get me started on sports. I remember reading an article in the Wall St. Journal that during the typical NFL game you watch over one hour of commercials. There is only about 10 to 15 minutes of real action in a three hour long game.

 

[auger]

Have you asked them if they have an exchange program with other libraries?
Ours has a group that exchange items with each other.
We can go up to the library and search the data base and if our library doesn't have something but another does, they put in a request and when it comes in they notify us.

 

[DawnM]

No, I just have Netflix and Hulu+.


Dawn

Have you asked them if they have an exchange program with other libraries?
Ours has a group that exchange items with each other.
We can go up to the library and search the data base and if our library doesn't have something but another does, they put in a request and when it comes in they notify us.

 

[Moomduck1]

We are preparing to cut our cord this year as well! I am looking forward to the money we will save. And I confess.....I am looking forward to sports not being on the TV all of hte time!

 

[lvillotta1]

WOW!!! Your cable bills are outrageous. When I bundled my landline,high speed and cable my bill is less than a $100/mos. I called my cable company and told them I had a $100/mos to spend and what could you offer me? I also have Netflix. We are not big TV watchers,but do enjoy some of the channels.